About TFO Canada
Our Team
TFO Canada delivers its trade information, advice and contact services through a team of Canadian-based project professionals and a network of over 40 Associates from around the globe: experts in a wide range of trade-related activities, including sector-specialists for the Canadian import market, trade trainers, and product development and marketing advisors.
TFO Canada’s staff members (listed below) are located at our Ottawa headquarters and in regional offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. To contact a staff member by e-mail, please address it to info@tfocanada.ca and indicate the name of the staff member in the subject line.
OTTAWA HEADQUARTERS
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Steve Tipman, Executive Director Steve Tipman is the Executive Director of TFO Canada and leads the organization in fulfilling its mission of improving lives through international trade. Leading the successful execution of TFO Canada’s strategic and business plans, Steve is responsible for overall administration, strategic management, and reporting to the Board of Directors. With over 25 years of experience in both the private and non-profit sectors, Steve has spent much of his career working in the areas of international trade and development. He spent eight years working at Livingston International, a trade services company focused on customs brokerage and compliance. He also served as a Vice President with CARE Canada and President and CEO of Volunteer Canada. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of International Development Professionals. Steve holds an International Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of Ottawa and is fluently bilingual in both French and English. |
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Mary Heather White, Program Director Mary Heather White joined TFO Canada as the Program Director responsible for projects funded by Global Affairs Canada. Mary Heather leads TFO Canada’s Geographic and Trade Information Services teams with an aim to improve trade between small and medium exporters from developing countries and Canadian buyers. Mary Heather also oversees the TFO Canada – Tim Hortons Coffee Partnership Project, being implemented in Guatemala and Honduras, which aims to improve the lives of thousands of households in specific coffee growing regions in these countries. |
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Mursalin Chowdhury, Finance Director Mursalin Chowdhury as the Finance Director is responsible for financial management of the organization that includes financial systems, accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, and providing support to the Executive Director for organizational and business development. He oversees the overall accounting functions including tracking and reporting of activities against the financial objectives, and providing support to the project management team. Mursalin is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). He brings over 17 years of experience in the field of Finance and Accounting for both profit and non-profit sector. |
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Zakiullah (Zaki) Munshi, Director, Program Development and Partnerships Zaki Munshi joined TFO Canada in March 2014 as Project Manager Asia and Middle East. Since March 2017 Zaki has assumed the responsibility of Director, Program Development & Partnerships. Working closely with TFO Canada’s roster of associates (trade specialists) and project management staff, he oversees planning, implementation and ongoing communications with donors/partners for TFO Canada’s projects/programs. Zaki also works with TFO Canada’s Executive Director in developing/managing strategic partnerships and new project/program development opportunities with Canadian and international NGOs, think-tanks and business/networking associations, public/private sector donors/funders and other international country-based and multi-lateral development organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of International Development Professionals Prior to joining TFO Canada, Zaki worked as a Project Manager in International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group managing advisory projects in the areas of Corporate Governance, Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) banking, Financial Infrastructure and Micro-finance. He has lived and worked in a number of countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Pacific Islands. Zaki is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from University of Texas at Austin, USA and an MBA in Finance from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. |
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Amandine Gakima, Project Manager, Africa and the Caribbean Amandine Gakima is the Project Manager for Africa and the Caribbean. As such, she is responsible for the management of trade-related development and trade promotion projects between these regions and Canada, for the benefit of SME exporters. Amandine has extensive professional experience in international trade and private sector development. Prior to joining TFO, she worked as a Business Information Officer and a Content Coordinator with the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. Before this, she was involved in trade-related capacity building projects with the International Trade Centre and the Agency for International Trade Information and Cooperation in Switzerland. Amandine Holds a B.Sc. in International Business Administration from the United States International University in Kenya, a MA in International Trade Relations from the International University in Geneva in Switzerland and a graduate Certificate in International Trade and Development from the Graduate Institute of International and Development studies in Switzerland. |
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Marysabel Gonzalez, Project Manager, Latin America, Cuba and the Dominican Republic Marysabel Gonzalez joined TFO Canada in 2008 and has over fifteen years of experience working in international trade. As Project Manager for Latin America, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, Marysabel is responsible for trade development projects including training and market familiarization, technical assistance to exporters, trade missions and seminars on the Canadian market. She also maintains relationships with trade support institutions and Ottawa-based trade representatives for developing countries. Prior to joining TFO Canada, Marysabel worked as a business development manager in the high tech sector at Invest Ottawa. She has also worked as a diplomat, serving as Economic Counsellor for the Embassy of Venezuela in Canada, where she became very familiar with TFO Canada and its services. Marysabel holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and a Masters in International Trade from Carleton University. |
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Marta Recinos, Project Manager, Asia and the Middle East Marta Recinos is the Project Manager for Asia and the Middle East. In this role, she is responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of trade-related technical assistance and capacity building projects and activities within this region. Marta is an international trade and development professional with over 10 years of experience in the field. Prior to joining TFO Canada, she worked as Trade and Investment Specialist for Chemonics International Inc. in the implementation of the USAID SME Development Program in El Salvador. Before this, she worked for the Ministry of Economy as Competitive Intelligence Analyst and for El Salvador’s Export Promotion Agency as a Market Information Advisor. Marta holds a Master Degree in International Commerce from the University of Kentucky, USA; and a Bachelor Degree in International Relations from Universidad de El Salvador. |
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Danielle Mulligan, Office Manager Danielle Mulligan has been with TFO Canada since 1986! As Office Manager, she is responsible for office affairs and dealing with local suppliers. Danielle maintains TFO Canada’s online database of Canadian importers and developing country exporters and keeps them informed by sending regular e-publications. Danielle also maintains the records for the TFO Canada Associate roster and supports accounting procedures including invoicing and payments, travel claims, and commitment files. Prior to joining TFO Canada, Danielle worked for two Ottawa-based private insurance companies as a Group Claim Processor for medical and dental benefits. |
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Jeffery-John Becker, Accounting Administrator Jeffery-John Becker joined TFO Canada in March 2017 as the Accounting Administrator, where he is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable duties. Jeffery also assists with financial reporting and financial management of on-going projects and activities. Prior to joining TFO, Jeffery lived in Australia for two years where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce Degree at Griffith University; he also holds a college diploma in Business Administration Accounting from St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario. Jeffery's accounting career started at Minto Group in the field of property management and more recently worked with 20VIC Management. Jeffery plans to pursue his full CPA accounting designation. |
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Theo Ward, Systems Specialist, Trade Information Services Theo Ward is the Systems Specialist for TFO Canada’s Trade Information Services. He is responsible for developing online trade information services, providing support and maintenance to the team, and guiding future online service delivery. Theo has worked with TFO Canada as a project consultant since 2003. Under TFO Canada's Program for Building African Capacity for Trade (PACT), Theo supported training and trade information development for program partners in Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa. He has also worked on export marketing and trade information projects in Bangladesh, the Caribbean, and in Geneva for the United Nations International Trade Centre. More recently, Theo has been involved in a three-year project in Indonesia sponsored by Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD). He was responsible for defining and implementing I.T.-based export marketing and training activities for a range of economic development clients in Jakarta and in Sulawesi province at all levels of government. Theo studied Theatre and Literature at George Brown College and Computer Science at Brock University, and also co-authored the introductory textbook, "The Global Business Environment" for the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT). |
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
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Susan Baka, Regional Representative, Ontario Susan Baka is TFO Canada’s Ontario representative based in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Susan is an international trade specialist and her role is to establish and maintain relations with local Canadian importers and trade representatives of TFO Canada’s client countries in order to promote market linkages between developing country exporters and the Canadian marketplace. Susan is the President of Bay Communications and Marketing Inc. and has directed the launch of multiple business publications, services and Web sites in the fields of trade, women in business, diversity, law, human resources, workplace health and safety, tourism, and public policy. She is considered one of Canada’s top authorities on entrepreneurship and small business and trade, especially for women. She writes and speaks regularly on these topics in Canada and internationally. She also conducts market research and distributor and partner searches for companies looking to do business in Canada. An active leader in trade organizations and initiatives locally, nationally, and internationally, Susan was one of the founders of the first Canadian chapter of the Organization of Women in International Trade in Toronto (www.owit-toronto.ca), serves as VP International, and was part of its International Board (www.owit.org) for many years. She has spearheaded countless initiatives and trade missions to Australia, Mexico and the U.S and proactively mentored the start-up of chapters in Mexico and Australia. Susan was appointed a member of the Canadian Minister of International Trade’s Small & Medium Enterprise Advisory Board, 2008-2011, and regularly represents women exporters in government consultations. She has been honoured with several international awards, including from WBE Canada and The International Alliance of Women (TIAW). |
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Marc Germain, Regional Representative, Quebec Marc is TFO Canada's Representative in Quebec. His role is to establish and maintain links with local importers and trade representatives accredited to Quebec in order to promote exports from TFO Canada's client countries. Marc has been active in business and export development for close to 25 years, working mostly as a consultant with TFO Canada and specializing in export promotion in Canada from developing countries. With extensive experience in dealing with both exporters in developing countries and the Canadian import community, Marc has done market research for a wide range of consumer products. He has experience in industries spanning food, clothing, fashion accessories, jewellery, home décor and giftware, furniture and alcoholic beverages, to name a few. Marc has also given numerous presentations in the Canadian market and taught at Concordia's John Molson School of Business in Business Communications. Marc holds an MBA from Queen's University and a Bachelor's degree from York University's Glendon College in Toronto. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish. |
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Marcus Ewert-Johns, Regional Representative, British Columbia Marcus Ewert-Johns is TFO Canada’s Representative in British Columbia. Marcus role is to build relationships between importers and local trade representatives to support the growth of developing economies through trade. Marcus is active in the business community through his role as the President the BC Alliance for Manufacturing, an organization that has unified several associations into one coalition with the goals of strengthening the competitiveness of the province’s manufacturing sector. Marcus is also a seasoned international trade professional having held number of important senior level positions in government, the private and not-for profit sectors. Most recently he was the Vice-President International with Stork Craft Manufacturing Ltd and a Divisional Vice-President with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. Marcus previously served as an Assistant Deputy Minister and Executive Director in the BC government’s economic development and international trade ministries building the province’s trade promotion, investment attraction and international marketing programs. Before moving to British Columbia Marcus was a diplomat with Global Affairs Canada where he lived in places like Ottawa, Seoul and Sydney. Marcus is a graduate of the University of Manitoba and an avid traveller having visited, worked or lived in more than 100 countries. |